California's gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband's pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does ... the One who will never let her go.

Absolutely beautiful. One of the most inspiring stories I have ever read. Portions of this book had me in complete shock, sometimes anger, and sometimes uplifting happiness. This is one of the greatest stories of unconditional love and forgiveness out there. The characters are unforgettable; ones that will stick with me for a long time to come.

Warning: this book deals with some pretty heavy issues [prostitution, rape, etc..] and may not be for everyone. Francine Rivers does an excellent job at allowing the reader to understand what is happening without becoming too graphic.

We get an excellent portrayal of a women [Angel] who is completely consumed by bitterness, hopelessness, and guilt. She believes that she is at fault for every terrible thing that others have inflicted on her just by being born. It is so amazing to watch how far she comes.

A timeless story of self-destruction and rebirth, betrayal and forgiveness, hopeless despair to deep faith, and the gain that can come from even the hardest sacrifices. I urge everyone to pick this one up, whether spiritual or not. There is something for anyone to gain from this one.